According to Washington Area Bicyclist Association program assistant Henry Mesias, it's official: WABA will be setting up bike valet stations at the Capitol on Inauguration Day. "Locations are still TBA," he writes in an email, "but there will be designated bike valet areas north and south of the event."

The nonprofit had been waiting for approval from various government entities so that it could offer free bike parking (and guarding) on January 20.

Mesias says more info will be released later today, through the organization's Web site, www.waba.org, and WABA is "asking folks who think they may use the valet to RSVP on our website to help us get an idea of how many bikes to expect."

Update: Asked to confirm the District Department of Transportation will be working with WABA to place bike valet stations at the inaug, DDOT spokesman John Lisle doesn't give up the goods.

"I know they're working on it and today may be launching a page asking people to RSVP so they can get a sense of how many people might bike to the inauguration.  From our standpoint, officially nothing's changed.  We think it's a great idea to offer people an alternative way to get to the Inauguration and we're working with WABA on the logistics to try and make it happen."

Mesias says he isn't surprised DDOT is refusing to confirm. "I don't think DDOT will do a press release until all the exact details are pinned down." But, he assures, an email WABA received from the department says the bike stations are approved.

Photo courtesy of Washington Area Bicyclist Association

Bad news for all those downtowners dreaming of having a source of quail eggs within walking distance. The deal in which Douglas Development would land Balducci's specialty store in Penn Quarter isn't going to happen. (And maybe that's a good thing--check out how Tim Carman gets treated at the Balducci's in Bethesda.)

Douglas Jemal, owner of Douglas Development, seems a bit sour about the outcome of his negotiations with the high-priced specialty market to set up shop on 7th Street NW. "It was nip and tug all along, we all tried hard and the city and developer took out the red carpet and gave them [Balducci's] the kitchen sink to make a deal..."  But, Jemal says, the whole thing "turned out to be a waste of time".

This is the second time Balducci's has flirted with occupying the downtown space only to disappoint. Agreeing to move into the spot in 2005, the corporation reneged in 2006 with, as the Washington Post reported, "Balducci's saying it wanted to focus on its existing stores."

Douglas Development and the Downtown Neighborhood Association began courting the corporation regarding a new deal about a year ago. The latter got involved because, according to a letter sent to Balducci's CEO Barbara Parasco by DNA President Miles Groves, quality food shopping in the downtown area is sparse to non-existent: "We are Desperate for a Quality Grocery Store,"  reads one of the letter's subheads.

The company's CEO, asked about the failed talks, has this to say via email: "Over the last 62 years, Balducci's has grown from a single produce stand to become a gourmet powerhouse on the eastern seaboard. We are constantly looking at new opportunities that make sense for our customers and our business, but our policy as a company is not to comment on speculation or rumors."

*Photo by dogfrog

Sometime Sunday night, City Desk noticed that the photos section of Bob Woodward's Facebook profile was displaying three cartoons by conservative political-cartoonist Dana Summers. All three toons were a satirical look at President-elect Barack Obama's relationship with the media. In one, a cop commands a gaggle of spectators fawning over Obama to "Stop throwing your underwear at him and make way for the media." "We are the media," comes the punchline.

Though the journalist who helped take down Nixon has, at points, been accused of pandering to President Bush, such uneven sentiments about Obama and the media seemed out of place.

We were right to be suspicious. Upon closer inspection, it was discovered that Woodward hadn't posted the drawings, instead, one of his 2,886 Facebook friends-- a conservative named Michelle Jennifer R. Santos-- tagged the cartoons with the reporter's name ("...for debate purposes," she explains), a move that effectively presented the political propaganda alongside pics (a head shot and a candid) available on Woodward's page. The preeminent Postie confirms this in an email. " I did not post [the cartoons]. Apparently someone has tagged them for me and others."

A while after Woodward's email arrived the cartoons were gone, leaving us to conclude that the journalist had figured out what every person who has ever had a badly-lit, drunken, half-naked photo of him or herself uploaded to the social networking site by a supposed friend has. You can un-tag.

In any event, the ink-slinger isn't sweating it. Just another example of an Internet world that offers less privacy and less control over your life, he writes, "But no big deal."

According to Chief of Staff Charles Allen, Ward 6 councilman and bike commuter Tommy Wells wants to see the Washington Area Bicycle Association triumph in its efforts to offer a free bike valet service on Inauguration Day. "He's always liked the idea of bike valet stations," says Allen, "he supported putting one in at Nationals Stadium."

Of course, such pro-bike-valet-feelings beg the question, if the station goes in, will Wells pedal to Obama? "Tommy would love to ride his bike to the inauguration," says Allen, "he just doesn't know what the situation will be yet." Allen explains that the councilman will have to know more about his schedule and any security concerns before deciding whether to arrive at the inauguration on two wheels.

Another biking enthusiast, Mayor Adrian M. Fenty supports the idea of cycling to the inaug but won't be breaking out his Cannondale to lead by example. "He might not bike to the event," said mayor's office spokesperson Mafara Hobson, "but gives the thumbs up to those who choose to."

*photo courtesy of Washington Area Bicyclist Association

District folks renting out houses and apartments for inauguration-week are by now aware that the DC government has decided not to assess sales tax on those transactions. But sales tax isn't the only way to end up owing a percentage of inaug-rental profits to the local tax office. There's also income tax.

Online real estate publication UrbanTurf, in a November article, tells its readers that "money made on temp rentals is subject to taxes and should be reported on your individual income tax return. However, many people will probably toss these laws and regulations aside.This week presents too good an opportunity to fly under the radar and make a chunk of cash that will pay your rent for the coming months."

But contacting the DC tax office reveals that any coming inauguration housing boom is unlikely to inspire area residents to "fly under the radar" by committing  tax fraud, as there will be no reason to. According to an announcement sent out by tax office spokesperson Natalie Wilson:

"District residents renting transient accommodations for the Inauguration celebration who are not required to file the D-30 are also not required to report their receipts as gross income for District of Columbia income tax purposes to the extent they are not required to report such income for federal income tax purposes."

In other words, the District tax office will only ask temporary-hoteliers to report their profits if the federal tax office does. And what are the chances that the IRS will? Slim. IRS spokesperson James Dupree points out the following passage in "IRS Pub 527, "Residential Rental Property" as speaking to the issue.

"Exception for minimal rental use. If you use the dwelling unit as a home and you rent it fewer than 15 days during the year, do not include any of the rent in your income and do not deduct any of the rental expenses."

So fourteen days or under, no tax.  But, Dupree cautions, "since every situation is different, there are undoubtedly going to be situations where the income needs to be reported in full and any deductible expenses are limited."

*photo by Daquella manera

Update: It's on. Find out how to use the inaugural bike valet here

The Washington Area Bicycle Association's Henry Mesias says a 2:30 meeting between the organization and the District Department of Transportation yesterday, in which plans to allow WABA to set up a bike valet station for Inauguration Day were discussed, "went well."  But he also says that the organization won't know if inauguration-goers arriving by cycle will be able to hand their vehicles over to a crew of frocked WABA volunteers, until later: A number of folks "at the top of the ladder" will have to sign off on the idea, he explains.

Mesias is hoping that, for the sake of inaugural-pedalers, the station gets approved. "Biking will be the best way to get to the inauguration," he contends, "roads are going to be out of the question and Metro will be overburdened. [Without a valet station] there might  be a lot of people parking their bikes in places they shouldn't and getting their bike locks cut by Secret Service."

Update: How to Use the Inaugural Bike Valet

Yesterday, Loose Lips Daily linked to San Francisco Bike Blog-- which thinks the Washington Area Bicycle Association should bring its bike valet service to Inauguration 2009.

"Who wants to get hands-runneth-over by security guards just so you can stand on a packed [Metro] platform with dudes in blue, carrying big, automatic weapons? Not me. People need to be able to go by bike, and they need a place to put their bikes when they arrive. The local cycling organization knows how to do bike valet parking - they should offer it at the inauguration."

Turns out WABA has a Thursday meeting with DDOT to discuss doing exactly that.

If all goes well at the meeting, says WABA staffer Henry Mesias, the organization will set up a bike valet station towards the south of the Capitol and just outside the inauguration's hard-security-perimeter.

As if WMATA doesn't have enough on its plate with having to implement random bag searches and combat body odor, one of its drivers has landed in some trouble.

Friday evening, in the vicinity of 3rd and D Streets NE, members of the Metropolitan Police Department's Crime Reduction Team (CRT) observed a group of young men walking down the sidewalk swinging a baseball bat.

According to an account posted by Sgt. Christopher Micciche on a Capitol Hill listserv, members of the CRT decided to get out of their car and arrest the guy with the baseball bat for a "weapons violation."

The grab didn't go smoothly:

The officers were then besieged by the remaining group of four young men attempting to free their friend. Back-up was summoned to assist, and one of the young men kicked an officer. The young men were arrested for Assault on a Police Officer-Misdemeanor. While those individuals were being apprehended and the situation was still chaotic, a MetroBus driver exited her bus and attempted to intervene on behalf of the young men. She was also arrested and charged with Assault on a Police Officer-Misdemeanor.

Read More "Metrobus Driver Arrested for Assault" »

For those looking to make a buck off their (probably) Ikea-optimized Northwest townhouse during inauguration week, there's now an alternative to anonymous/sketchy negotiations made over Craigslist. D.C. area native and "mortgage guy" Andre Butters and a few of his friends have launched www.inauguralhomes.com. "We're like a match.com for people coming in and out of the city," Butters explains.

The site, a place "where area residents can list their properties for rent and visitors to the Nation's Capital can find lodging during Inauguration week,"  differs from similar online classifieds services in that it requires users ante up some personal info and a credit card in order to register-- theoretically making the whole inviting-complete-strangers-to-live-in-your-house-thing a little less irrational.

"We're the safest way to go right now," says Butters, who points out that, despite the fees charged, 24.95 to list a dwelling and 9.95 to send "10 rental inquiries," both renters (40 have signed up in the last two days) and residents have been eager to use the service.

Considering this either sarcastic or psychotic anonymous, inaugural rental post found on Craigslist and seen below, Butters and friends ---by creating a listing system that offers up some kind of accountability-- may have stumbled upon a cash cow.

"You asked for change and elected "the one". Now, we are asking for your change - change WE believe in. For all hardcore fans who want to see the skinny guy, Obamamama and their offspring move into new premises, we will be offering our beautiful 2 car garage as night quarters. We will even put an air mattress, two blankets and two buckets in for your bathroom needs. Two people max. Only three miles to the Capitol, excellent bus lines. No windows, no heat, but hey - it´s the chance to see your new Jesus! Only $ 200 per night if you stay a minimum of four nights. We need $ 500 as a deposit, cash only please. You will not be allowed in the house because we want to make sure nothing is missing after your leave. We will give a ten percent discount if you agree to do a proper cleaning of the garage, the roaches and bugs can be a nuisance. We will only rent to people who come with references!"

As City Desk reported on Monday, after November 30, Cap Hill residents will no longer be able to turn to the Ben and Jerry's on 7th street S.E. for a diabetes-priming scoop of Super Fudge Chunk. Though on election night the brightly lit storefront was full of families being served by joking, neatly-uniformed teenagers, the business, owned by the Latin American Youth Coalition, is going bust. "We'd been considering closing the store for awhile,"says Scott Perry, who runs the LAYC division in charge of the spot.

The Ben and Jerry's "Partnershop," which opened in 2002, did well for about four years, Perry says. People frequented the business and scores of youth received job and life skills training there. But over the last two years, things have gotten tough. Perry blames the economic downturn, the Eastern Market fire (which slowed down pedestrian traffic for a period) and the Baskin Robbins that opened on nearby 8th street.

About ten employees, most of them underprivileged teens employed for the first time, will lose their gigs.  Perry hopes to place the kids at LAYC friendly businesses like Target and Staples.

Perry recalls that when Ben and Jerry's Corporate found out the shop was struggling, they came by and suggested the outlet "push" its cakes and catering service. Thanks in no small part to the effort put forth by the store's employees (they gave out free samples and made friendly sales pitches) the plan worked. Cake sales went up and the store got a catering job about every two weeks, leading to the shop having "its best summer in a long time." But it was too little too late.

Asked what will happen to the storefront after Ben and Jerry's vacates, Perry has the scoop, he says the French restaurant next door, Montmartre, plans to take over the lease and expand in some way.

The Ben and Jerry's located at 327 7th St., SE in Capitol Hill will be scooping its last waffle cones on Nov. 30. The business, run by the Latin American Youth Center, is what Ben and Jerry's refers to as a PartnerShop. According to the ice-cream makers Web site:

Partnershops are independently owned and operated by community-based nonprofit organizations. Ben & Jerry's waives the standard franchise fees and provides additional support to help nonprofits operate strong businesses. PartnerShops offer job and entrepreneurial training to youth and young adults that may face barriers to employment. As PartnerShop operators, nonprofits retain their business proceeds to support their programs.

No word yet on why the shop is closing. Don't turn that dial--we're on it.